Maryanne, I've been learning to do the canning over the last year. A friend helps me with jelly from local grape I can can my tomatoes and products from my garden.

The mites are as suspected-- I think the soil is too wet in that area. I need to be disciplined and run the soaker hose less often and water deeper, to let the soil drain. And before planting again I'll contour a little and add some more gravel to help (decomposed granite, etc.)

SRS